The Museum and Library of The Hispanic Society of America is perhaps the least known of New York City museums, yet it has an extraordinary collection. I recently spent a delightful afternoon at the museum, which reflects the vision of Archer Milton Huntington to establish an institution dedicated to the celebration of Hispanic culture.

The Lower East Side has always been a playground for oddballs, creative types who diverge from Manhattan's mold. It's a quirky neighborhood filled with idiosyncrasies and secrets stuffed in blocks and buildings. These days, south of Union Square is trending, a wonderland of bars, movie houses, and restaurants that offer a refreshing contrast to Midtown.

Libraries can be an important part of civic life in Illinois, providing spaces for reading, quiet work, Internet access, public gatherings and, of course, a place to hold a community's books. Not every Illinois county has the same number of public libraries available for their residents, though.

Imagine that you are the author of one of the most successful franchises of children's books in publishing history: To date, nine books and three movies, and more to follow. You're happily married, raising your kids in a small New England town. So what do you do next with your life?

With the decision pending in just a couple of weeks on Library #14 for President #44, the binding force of these successive projects is the fact that there is not and never should be a single political narrative. Such shifting values rely instead on the bedrock of freedom to sustain the dynamic bonds of the social contract it upholds.

I can say with certainty the best part of having a publishing background is meeting the people who read my books and like my art. I will confess, my most favorite part is connecting with young audiences.

You can't have a world class city with a decaying library system. Libraries are inextricably linked to education and quality of life factors that are central to the future economic growth of Miami-Dade County.